Techniques to improve polyurethane membranes for implantable glucose sensors
First Claim
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1. An implantable electrochemical sensor for measuring glucose in a bodily fluid, the sensor comprising:
- at least one electrode having at least a portion configured to be implanted in a host; and
a membrane disposed over the at least one electrode, the membrane comprising;
a first layer comprising a blend of (i) a hydrophobic polymer that forms a hydrophobic matrix and (ii) a hydrophobic-hydrophilic copolymer comprising hydrophilic polymer segments that traverse a thickness of the first layer, wherein the first layer is further configured to reduce a flux of glucose through the membrane, wherein the hydrophobic polymer and the hydrophobic-hydrophilic copolymer are soluble with each other, and wherein the hydrophilic polymer segments comprise hydrophilic microdomains that are substantially distributed evenly throughout the hydrophobic matrix; and
a second layer comprising an enzyme capable of reacting with glucose, wherein the second layer is more proximal to the electrode than the first layer.
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Abstract
The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.
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19 Claims
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1. An implantable electrochemical sensor for measuring glucose in a bodily fluid, the sensor comprising:
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at least one electrode having at least a portion configured to be implanted in a host; and a membrane disposed over the at least one electrode, the membrane comprising; a first layer comprising a blend of (i) a hydrophobic polymer that forms a hydrophobic matrix and (ii) a hydrophobic-hydrophilic copolymer comprising hydrophilic polymer segments that traverse a thickness of the first layer, wherein the first layer is further configured to reduce a flux of glucose through the membrane, wherein the hydrophobic polymer and the hydrophobic-hydrophilic copolymer are soluble with each other, and wherein the hydrophilic polymer segments comprise hydrophilic microdomains that are substantially distributed evenly throughout the hydrophobic matrix; and a second layer comprising an enzyme capable of reacting with glucose, wherein the second layer is more proximal to the electrode than the first layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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